Comparison

Pool vs Pocket Run Pool

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pool

Experience classic 8-ball pool on your mobile device. Challenge a friend or play solo, aiming to pocket your assigned balls and then the black ball. Enjoy realistic 3D animation and precise aiming hints.

Highlights
  • Single player mode
  • Two player mode
  • Left and right-handed support
  • 3D ball animation
  • Aiming hint
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Play 8-ball pool on your mobile device against your friend. The object of the game is to pocket your set of assigned balls (solid or striped) and finally pocket black ball to designated pocket. Game features: - one or two players modes - for left and right hands - real 3D ball animation - hint for precise aiming Good luck and enjoy the game!

About

Pocket Run Pool

This game combines 8-ball pool with arcade-style high-score chasing. Sink all the balls strategically to earn points, but be careful of misses and scratches. Compete against yourself or others in various thrilling game modes.

Highlights
  • Arcade pool gameplay
  • High-score chasing
  • Strategic ball sinking
  • Multiple game modes
  • Global leaderboards
  • Risk management challenges
Features
Read full description

The return of arcade pool from the creator of Really Bad Chess and Flipflop Solitaire. Pocket-Run Pool combines 8-ball pool with the thrill of a chasing the perfect highscore. In Pocket-Run, your goal is to sink all the balls, but where and when you sink them is what matters most! With each pocketed ball, you're awarded points based on the pocket you sunk. So sink carefully, but watch out, with each miss or scratch you lose a life — run out before you finish the table and it's game over. Compete against yourself, the world, or the bank in a variety of thrilling game modes! Can you make the perfect pocket-run? Arcade pool is back! ------WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING 5/5 - Touch Arcade "Help me, I can't stop playing!" 5/5 - 148Apps "Most certainly the best pool game I've played on a phone" "Like the best arcade games, this creates a “just one more turn” mentality" - The Verge "a perfect little mobile game" - iMore.com ------WHATS IN THE “BOX”? - Play Pocket-Run Pool's Standard, High Stakes, and Insta-Tournament modes for free! - Asynchronously Go for gold against players from around the world in Insta-Tournament mode - Manage your risk against all manner of game conditions (like the devious Cuewall) in High Stakes mode - Unlock Break of The Week, alternate backgrounds, and remove Insta-Tournament buy-ins with a single In-App-Purchase of just $3.99 - Track stats for all four modes - Win alternate pool cues and color schemes in High Stakes mode ------A WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER I've always loved pool, and when I got my first iPhone years ago, the world of digital pool games opened up to me. There are certainly a lot of options out there, but finding a simple and enjoyable single-player pool game was harder than I expected. I found one that I enjoyed, but after playing it extensively I found it too easy to beat the computer every time. Suddenly the problem with pool hit me — when you play against a computer in a physics simulation, you're literally playing against a god... By which I mean, either the computer is going easy on you (for a reason), or it's playing a perfect game and taking all your money. It dawned on me that if I wanted a good single player pool game, I'd have to make a new kind of pool — a variant that doesn't need a computer opponent, that's built around the notion of scoring and improving, of taking risks, and of presenting unique and interesting challenges. Pocket-Run Pool is the game I came up with, I hope you enjoy it! -zach

Screenshots

Pool3 screens
Pocket Run Pool4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pool at 4.6 against Pocket Run Pool's 3.7. Pool also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 37%) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Pocket Run Pool's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pocket Run Pool sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Pool asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pool holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pool has 72K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Pool's written reviews are positive against 37% of Pocket Run Pool's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pool ships an update every 6 weeks, Pocket Run Pool every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Pool versus Pocket Run Pool: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPoolPocket Run Pool
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (72K ratings) — better3.7 (1.1K ratings)
Positive reviews76.2% of reviews — better37.0% of reviews
Number of ratings72K — better1.1K
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#157 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB169 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperVintolo LtdZach Gage

Customer experience

Pool

All ratings71,831 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral5.8%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews547 reviews
Positive76.2%
Neutral9.5%
Negative14.3%

Pocket Run Pool

All ratings1,123 ratings
Positive63.3%
Neutral8.9%
Negative27.8%
Written reviews273 reviews
Positive37.0%
Neutral20.1%
Negative42.9%

User reviews

Pool

From 72K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 No in-app purchases
  • 🚀 Simple and fun gameplay
  • 🚀 Realistic pool physics
  • 🚀 Great way to pass the time
  • 👍 No ads

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Computer AI cheats or makes unrealistic shots
  • 🐛 Inconsistent with real pool rules
  • 🐛 Occasional freezing or glitches
  • 🔍 Lack of difficulty settings or customization

Pocket Run Pool

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Intuitive controls
  • 👍 Addictive gameplay
  • 🎨 Great visuals
  • 💡 Unique take on pool
  • 🕰️ Quick play sessions

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable physics
  • 🔍 Lack of precision controls
  • 💰 Excessive ads/in-app purchases
  • 🔍 UI issues on larger screens
  • 🔁 Repetitive gameplay

Bugs and requests

Pool

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Computer takes turns when it shouldn't
  • Cue ball placement issues after fouls
  • Balls getting stuck on table edges

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add online multiplayer mode
  • Implement different difficulty levels for AI
  • Allow more control over cue ball and shot power
  • Include scoring/stats tracking
  • Add more table and ball customization options

Pocket Run Pool

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Cue stick disappearing
  • Inconsistent ball behavior
  • Incorrect payouts in high-stakes mode
  • App freezing after resuming from pause
  • Compatibility issues on newer iPad models

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ball spin/English options
  • Implement replay/undo functionality
  • Expand game modes and challenges
  • Improve performance and stability
  • Optimize UI for tablet devices

In-app purchases

None

Pool

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Pocket Run Pool

One-time4
  • 5 Rebuys$0.99
  • Unlock Full Version$3.99
  • 50 Rebuys$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Unlimited Rebuys$19.99

Questions

Is Pool free?
Pool is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pocket Run Pool free?
Pocket Run Pool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pool or Pocket Run Pool?
Pool is rated higher. Pool averages 4.6 out of 5 from 72K ratings, while Pocket Run Pool averages 3.7 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Pool or Pocket Run Pool have ads?
Pocket Run Pool shows ads; Pool does not.
Which is updated more often, Pool or Pocket Run Pool?
Pool ships an update every 6 weeks, and Pocket Run Pool every 5 days. Most recently, Pool was updated on September 28, 2026 and Pocket Run Pool on September 19, 2026.

Other comparisons